The American - Israeli writer Naomi Ragen is well - known for her books about the haredi world. When I was still in Yeshiva, someone gave me Naomi's first book "The Sotah" to read. At that time, I already had a certain idea about life in Mea Shearim, as I was visiting a Satmar family quite frequently.
I couldn't stop reading "The Sotah" until the last page. The whole story was so real but I found the end rather disappointing. Cliche. Nothing exciting. Noami Ragen does sometimes have a problem with writing a good end.
Nevertheless, I fell in love with her first three books but later on, I lost a little interest in further books. She changed the subject and started writing about herself. Especially how she experienced the suicide bomb attack at the Netanya Park Hotel on Pessach 2002. Naomi Ragen stayed with her family on one of the top floors of the hotel but heard the bomb exploding downstairs in the restaurant where hundreds of people were about to start their Seder.
Now, Naomi Ragen published her new book and, this time, she doesn't write about the haredi world but about the national religious society (Kipot Serugot). As a born American religious Jew she made Aliyah to Israel more than 25 years ago and lives with her family in the Ramot neighbourhood in Jerusalem.
Her latest book "The Saturday Wife" tells us about the materialistic world of the national religious Jews. Especially in the US, the national religious worship money and thus celebrate Bar Mitzwas in huge halls or even invite guests for a cruise or other fancy shmanzy adventures. The more expensive, the better. The author claims that the majority of the national religious are as described as in her book.
Well, I don't really agree to this statement, as there are many national religious who are actually religious and don't go for materialism at all. I would recommend to Naomi visiting the Jerusalem neighbourhood of Kiryat Moshe, and not only look at the religious in the rich neighbourhoods of Talbiyeh, the German Colony, Katamon, let alone the US.
Noami Ragen expects the worst criticism from her own family and friends, as she took many friends as an example for her book. She herself belongs to the national religious movement and doubts if readers do understand her message properly.
In the United States her book was already published a few weeks ago and she has been receiving positive responses so far. The national religious wrote her that they know people like this but they themselves are not as she described the movement in her book. Or in other words: "I am not like that but my neighbours are".
Now she expects plenty of criticism from Israeli national religious rabbis, as she further claims that the women are only electric supplies in the eyes of a man. You just turn it on when you need it.
One rabbi of the Israeli national religious movement has already reacted and said that Naomi is simply after the money she makes with her books. Everything is just gossip and anything she does is for her own interest and fame.
Such kind of reactions won't stop the book from becoming another bestseller in Israel. One can say positive or negative things about Naomi Ragen, however, she is an extremely important writer with a tremendous important message. Although she sometimes might be contradictory, as she lists positive as well as negative haredi society problems, she does give an important message.
Through her, non - religious Jews and even Gentiles learned about the haredi world and many of those readers don't consider this society anymore as an ancient world following ancient traditions. Her books make many people think and understanding such society problems. One of the first authors ever achieving this was Chaim Potok, the author of "The Chosen".
Not enough that Naomi Ragen has to face another wave of criticism; at the moment she is also getting sued by two Israeli female writers who claim that she (Naomi) stole their ideas and used them in her books. Mrs Ragen denies his claim.
However, I am looking forward reading Naomi Ragen's new book and I will write more after I finished it.
Naomi Ragen
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